Bittersweet: A Tale of the Marauders
by booksdefygravity
Summary: When they believe their death is coming shortly, James tries to convince Lily Evans he truly cares about her, while Remus befriends Luna's mother. A bittersweet story about the generation that began it all. P.S. Just in case you were wondering, I am not J.K. Rowling.


"This is it, guys," James announced. "This is the big day, the big moment, the climax of all-

"-the climax of all my hard work and dedication," Sirius interrupted, "which-

"-which shall at last reach the moment we have all been waiting for," Remus cut in. "This is-

"-this is the day," Peter announced,

"-the day Lily Evans will finally agree to go out with me!" Sirius finished. "Or rather, with James, because no one in their right mind would ask out Lily Evans, but James is not in his right mind!"

"Dude, you are so confused," James said seriously. "Evans is _hot."_

"James, you've asked her so many times we have your speech memorized," Remus said quietly. "And after the whole incident with Severus-

"You mean Snivelly Snape," Sirius interjected.

"-I don't think she's ever going to say yes," Remus finished.

"Only one way to find out," James said determinedly. "Trust me, me and Evans have a connection. She just won't admit it."

"The only sort of _connection _you have is when she _connects _her foot to your shin," Sirius groaned.

James pointed at him. "I will admit, that was clever. Cruel and unsupportive, but clever."

"Like you need support," Sirius snorted. "You'll keep asking her no matter what we tell you."

"Shut up," James said. "I'm going now." He slammed the door behind him.

"I think he's really in love with her," Remus said in his quiet, measured voice.

"What? Don't be daft," Sirius said. "James, in love? As if."

Remus shrugged. "Love happens, Sirius."

"What, are you in love?" Sirius asked.

Remus only smiled.

"Dude, after all these years, do you actually _like _a girl? And don't give me the whole "werewolves cannot date" speech again, because seriously, we were starting to consider all the options involving your relationships—

Remus shrugged and glanced out the window. The Marauders were sitting in an abandoned classroom, practicing forbidden spells and eating a stash of Honeydukes candy.

On the lawn, happy couples milled about, throwing toast to the giant squid and lounging in the sunshine, looking perfectly happy.

Remus sighed.

James was starting to get impatient.

He would never admit it to the Marauders, but he was beginning to despair. He was hurtling towards his 67th time asking Lily Evans out.

The first few times he had asked her out, it was merely because she was pretty, smart, and a Gryffindor. When she kept refusing him, it was stubbornness—Lily was one of the few girls on campus that wasn't eager to go out with James or Sirius. In fact, she downright despised both of them.

But as time went on and she kept refusing him, James paid more and more attention to Lily, simply out of curiosity. And before he had even realized he _had _started paying attention to her, he had a crush on her. A true, full, legitimate crush.

The worst part of it was how much she hated him. She referred to him as "bigheaded" "annoying" and "arrogant." She hated every one of his tricks and every time he teased someone else. She didn't think it was all that great when he caught the Snitch in three minutes and thirty-five seconds.

James stood up straight. Surely she couldn't hate him as much as she used to. All of the sixth year, he had been trying to pull his act together and be nice, polite, and friendly. He didn't tease anyone—he didn't even hex Snivelly Snape that often, or show off his Quidditch skills with his prized stolen Snitch.

And yet, the sixth year was drawing to a close, and Lily still hadn't said "yes." She hadn't said "maybe." She hadn't even said "no" in a way that didn't involve hitting, kicking, hexing, or jinxing James and/or his friends.

James gritted his teeth determinedly. No matter how hard she tried, Lily Evans wasn't going to scare _him _away.

He strode determinedly towards the library, which he knew was one of the places Lily liked to spend time and do her homework. However, when he arrived, the room was utterly empty, save Madam Pince.

At least, that was what James thought—until he heard the sobs.

Feeling stifled by the small classroom, Remus excused himself to go and walk by the lake. Sirius and Peter left him alone—they knew when Remus was in one of his "thinking moods."

At the moment, Remus's thoughts were dark. You-Know-Who was growing stronger and more feared by the day, and in one more year, he would be leaving Hogwarts, and Dumbledore's protection, forever. With the dark times ahead, people would no doubt be more anti-werewolf than ever.

"You don't have to be sad," a soft voice said.

Remus spun around. The sun was fading away, but the moon was shining brightly enough for him to recognize who stood in front of him.

"Zelenia," he said, his voice sounding surprised. Zelenia Featherblood was an oddity of the sixth-year class. She was a Ravenclaw with long, silvery-blonde hair and wide, owlish eyes. There were rumors that she did exceedingly well in Divination, a class that hardly anyone could understand, and people said she talked to herself and believed in all sorts of myths and fairy tales.

"I know what you're thinking about," Zelenia said, comfortably standing next to Remus and gazing across the lake. "It will be strange, won't it? Leaving Hogwarts next year."

"Yes," he said. "It will be very strange."

"There are bad things coming," she said quietly. "Voldemort is getting stronger."

Remus recoiled slightly. "You said the name."

"Yes. Are you scared of it?"

"No… you just surprised me. No one ever says it."

"Say it," Zelenia said.

"What?"

"Say the name," Zelenia said firmly. "We'll never defeat Voldemort if we're scared of his name. Say it."

"V-Voldemort," Remus whispered softly. Then he straightened up and said it out loud. "Voldemort."

"Doesn't that feel better?" Zelenia said.

For a moment, he felt nothing. And then he felt strong, and peaceful, and happy.

"Yes," he said. "It does."

It was Lily crying, James was sure of it. He could hear her speaking anxiously between her sobs. Quietly, he moved closer to the sounds.

It was coming from the Invisible Section of the library. James inched closer, until at last he could hear clearly. He immediately realized there was someone else with Lily—someone with a terrifying hiss of a voice.

"Please, leave us alone," he heard Lily say. "Why are you doing this?"

"You have one hour, little girl; one hour until you're little lives are destroyed. Go and tell your Headmaster, if you wish. Hide from me, if you want to. But it won't matter. I will find you."

Lily's sobs stopped abruptly. A moment later, she flew out of the Invisible Section.

"Lily!" James said in shock. Her face was streaked with tears and fear. For a single second, she tried to put on her haughty I-see-James-Potter expression, but a moment later she grabbed his hand tightly.

"Thank god I found someone else," she said, her voice trembling. "I was in the Invisible Section, getting a book, when suddenly I heard this voice. It's You-Know-Who. He's coming to destroy us."

"ALL STUDENTS MUST REPORT IMMEDIATELY TO THE GREAT HALL!"

"What do you think is going on?" Remus said, startled by the loud, booming voice that seemed to echo across the lake.

"Something bad," Zelenia whispered. She grabbed Remus's hand. "Run," she said.

They ran, her feet seeming to fly across the ground. She was impossibly fast, for such a petite person.

A moment later, the lake exploded behind them.

Giant waves rose out of the water like an ocean tsunami. They crashed towards the castle, chasing the terrified students away. Remus and Zelenia were forced to stop and scoop up a pair of first-years from being dragged under.

Together, they sprinted to the Great Hall.

"We have reason to believe that Hogwarts may be under attack," Dumbledore said calmly. "I must ask all of you to remain calm. Aurors have arrived from the Ministry of Magic to protect us. As I speak, this room is being enchanted to protect you as well as any other place possibly could. Please, everyone, sit calmly and quietly."

The moment Dumbledore hurried off, the room exploded. Many people began crying hysterically, while others shouted frantically.

James looked at Lily.

"There's a good possibility we might die tonight," he said, and felt dread, deep and dark, descend on him.

"Yes," Lily said quietly

"So, if we're going to die—I'd like to die as friends."

Lily stared at him for a moment.

"If you like," he added.

A slow smiled began to creep across her face. "I think I'd like that very much."

Zelenia had not yet released Remus's hand—or maybe he hadn't released hers. She was tugging him through the sea of people shouting and screaming.

At last, they reached a quieter corner.

"Sit," she said.

He sat.

She sat next to him.

"It's going to be all right," she said quietly.

"How do you know?" Remus asked despairingly.

"Because I know things," Zelenia said. "I know that the  
Harpies are going to win the Cup this year. I know that Frank Longbottom and Alice Selwyn are going to be married some day."

She leaned close to him and whispered in his ear.

"And I know that you're a werewolf."

"Lily, will you come and sit with me—please?"

Lily hesitated. "I really should go find my friends."

"Just five minutes. Please."

"Well… okay," she said reluctantly.

They sat.

James took a deep breath. _It doesn't matter anymore._

"Lily, I know that you've hated me since you first met me. I know you think I'm mean and bigheaded and full of myself and arrogant and probably something slimy. I know you think I've been asking you out just because you always say no.

"But what you don't know is how hard I've been trying to be better. You don't know how many times I've stopped Sirius from lighting something on fire or giving someone antlers."

He took another deep breath.

"And, Lily, you don't know how many times I've wanted to give up, or Sirius has told me to give up, how many times I've doubted myself. When I came to the library today, I was going to ask you out again, because—because…"

He looked her in the eye.

"God damn it, Lily Evans, because I'm in love with you. Because I've been in love with you for a long, long time, and I thought I never had a chance. And now, for god's sake, hit me one last time or say yes, because I can't stand it anymore. Will you go out with me?"

"How did you know?" Remus whispered.

"I just did," Zelenia murmured back.

He looked her in the eye. "We might die tonight."

"Yes," she said.

"But it would be one night. One hour. Just a little while, before we died," he said softly.

"It won't last," she said softly. "I know that you're too afraid, too afraid of yourself."

"I know, too," Remus said.

"We're going to go our separate ways, if we live."

"It doesn't matter."

And then, all of the sudden, he was kissing her gently on the lips.

All of his life had been bittersweet.

His transformation into a werewolf and the love of his family: bitter and sweet.

The secret he had to keep and his admission to Hogwarts: bitter and sweet.

But that one moment, that one achingly, impossibly long, beautiful moment the softness of her lips, the way her hair tickled his face, and the knowledge that it could not last— that was the most bittersweet moment of all.

"Silence, please!" Dumbledore shouted.

The hall immediately grew quiet.

James tore his gaze from Lily's stunned face.

"I am so terribly, terribly sorry of how frightened you all must be," Dumbledore said. He looked incredibly angry. "There has been a terribly cruel joke played on us. A few certain students have used forbidden magic to pull this trick on us. We are all safe."

The hall exploded with cheers.

James kept his eyes locked on Dumbledore, wondering who the culprit was.

Then Severus Snape stepped out from behind Dumbledore.

"YOU!" Lily screamed. "HOW COULD YOU?"

"Lily," Snape said quickly. "Lily, please—

"Stay away from me!" she screamed. She turned and buried her face in James sweater.

Snape seemed frozen, staring as he watched James put an arm around Lily.

Then his face crumbled away into nothing, and he turned and left.

Lily looked up at James.

"Yes," she whispered, and suddenly she was smiling again, as though Snape was no more than a distant memory to her anymore. "I say yes. I'll go out with you. I'm in love with you, James Potter."

And then they kissed, and her lips tasted bittersweet.


End file.
